Lee Yong-kwan, the Busan International Film Festival's head, has promised to work with local officials after reported conflicts between the city and the country's premier film festival. Mr. Lee does plan to eventually step down, and sees the next one-and-a-half years as a kind of "transition process". But prominent filmmakers have come out and expressed concerns over the cultural merit of future events, and about the possible politicising of BIFF's selection and its threat to creative freedom:

"We should never allow politics to interfere with the festival programming?.This incident cannot be viewed as a political paradigm of conservatives vs. liberals, but as a problem regarding artistic freedom" -Park Chan-wook

"As someone who submits works to film festivals, I don't think anyone would want to attend an event where the host interferes with [the festival programming]" -Im Kwon-taek

Interest in stories from the hermit kingdom are on the rise, and with North Korea's strange necrocracy what it is, any tales that emerge are apt to be brilliant and/or bizarre.

Here's Cara Anna's review of? Paul Fischer's new book: "A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power". Here's a bit of the blurb:

"A nonfiction thriller packed with tension, passion, and politics, author Paul Fischer's A Kim Jong-Il Production offers a rare glimpse into a secretive world, illuminating a fascinating chapter of North Korea's history that helps explain how it became the hermetically sealed, intensely stage-managed country it remains today"

CAAMFest 2015 got underway in San Francisco this past Thursday, and Brenson Lee's "Seoul Searching" played opening night. The film, which was inspired by the works of John Hughes, made its premiere at Sundance earlier in the year, but Lee was reportedly more nervous about this screening. Here's an interview? SFGate had with Lee where he shares his thoughts before the big night.

Kim Min-hee(left) poses with directorHong Sang-sooafter winning the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. /AFP-YonhapKim Min-heewon the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday for"On ..... by robotman

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by asian

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by jaicoree

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by asianlook

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by asianlook

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by laplace

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by gdulri

ActorsLee Byung-hunandSon Ye-jinwon the Best Actor and Best Actress Award at the 36th The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.This event was held on the 24th.Netizens say, "Son Ye-jinis a true actress", "They deserve it", "Lee Byung-hunacts well&..... by ifrit

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